Having A Good Diet Can Lower Cholesterol

James just had a blood test as part of the annual physical examination. This person exercised moderately and loved to eat but this was all about to change when the results came in.

The results showed that the LDL commonly known as bad cholesterol was much higher than the good cholesterol. The doctor said if some changes are not done, this individual will soon suffer from high blood pressure, a heart attack or a stroke.

Being a father of 2 children, this person had to take the situation very seriously to be able to continue providing the needs for the family.

Since James was working out twice a week, the doctor advised the individual to do it more often. This means working out four times a week and engaging in other activities to help lower the cholesterol.

There is no point in exercising more often if the intake of food does not change. The doctor told James to make some changes in the diet because nothing will happen if the food being burned is just resupplied into the body.

The doctor referred James to a dietitian. The two had a long talk about the food that was bad and this should be cut down. These should be replaced with those that are much healthier so the level of bad cholesterol can be lowered.

The plan on paper looked very simple. James will have to eat food that is low in fat and no longer that rich in carbohydrates. During breakfast, this person can eat the yellow portion of the egg but not the white one.

Instead of having coffee in the morning, this should be changed with unsweetened tea. There are times that James likes to eat cereals with the kids but the milk this individual will consume is not the regular one but is non-fat.

During lunchtime, something heaver can be eaten. Chicken can only be consumed without the skin. The portion of steak should be reduced and mixed with a lot of vegetables and side dishes.

It will take some time to adjust to the new regimen and people like James who are new to this will feel hungry in the late afternoon. Having some carrot sticks or an apple is much better than having a donut that has a lot of sugar.

Instead of having a cola with the snack, this has to be changed with either water or fruit juice and not the artificial one but made of real fruits.

The program continues on to dinner, which can be fish or pasta with some sidings. The person will be sleeping for the next 6 to 8 hours after the meal so there is no need to fill it up.

Drinking a glass of red wine is safe. This is better than drinking beer, which is something James had to give up.

James to follow the plan even when dining out in a party or eating in a restaurant. There is no day offs for someone who is at risk of heart disease or high blood pressure and this wasnt only for himself but also for the family.

The next checkup with the doctor showed significant results. The LDL was much lower than the HDL, which was good for someone at that age. The diet program chosen by James is just one of many out there in the market. It takes some time to find the right program to be able to lower the cholesterol and be healthy again.

Inherit Bad Cholesterol-Dont Always Blame Your Parents

While it is possible to inherit bad cholesterol, a condition that is called familial hypercholesterolemia, it can also be caused by many lifestyle factors which you have more control over.

So, whether you inherit bad cholesterol or you have it from certain lifestyle choices you’ve made… or both, you have several options open to you to get your cholesterol levels back down to safer levels.

Your first stop needs to be your doctors office. Your doctor can not only do a blood test to let you know if your cholesterol levels are where they should be, he can also help guide you through the choices of treatment options if your levels aren’t where they should be.

Cholesterol can be both “good” and “bad”. Ideally, you want normal levels of both but many people have too little of the good (HDL) and too much of the bad (LDL).

If you are worried about taking too many medications you don’t need to, you may have other options when it comes to lowering your bad and raising your good cholesterol.

Here are the things you need to keep an eye on:

1. Eat better. Don’t eat a lot of foods that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Instead, start eating more foods that are low in fat and high in fiber like fruits and vegetables.

2. Get more exercise. It’s as simple going for a walk everyday. Eventually, as you get stronger and in better shape, you can add other forms of exercise to your routine.

You don’t ever have to start training for marathons, and you may even start to find that you actually like to workout. It may sound crazy now, but it is true.

Once you start seeing the results and start getting stronger you may find that you like it and can’t wait to workout.

3. Combine these things and you can accomplish another thing that can help you keep your cholesterol levels in check: get to the proper weight.

It’s no big secret that eating better and getting more exercise can really help you shed the pounds.

And, when you are at the proper weight, continuing with these good habits will help you maintain that healthy weight.

You do have other options than just taking medication to control your cholesterol. If, after talking to your doctor, you both decide that medication is your best course of action than that is what you must do.

But, if you can, you may want to try one or more of these other options to get and keep your cholesterol at the proper level.

You can use these things on their own or combine them with a medication. Since many medicines can have some possibly serious side effects, you may want to try to get the results you want without having to rely on prescription medications.

Even if you inherit bad cholesterol you can still live a healthy life and get and keep your cholesterol under control. Just be willing to talk to your doctor and work with him to get the best combination of medications and diet and exercise to get your ideal cholesterol level.

Good And Bad Cholesterol

Your body has both good and bad cholesterol. In order to increase the good and lower the bad you have many choices.

Of course, to control your good and bad cholesterol you can use medicine and diet factors.

If you want to control your cholesterol you can combine one or more of these factors.

Depending on you and what your cholesterol levels are, you may find that eating a little better and getting more exercise may be all you need to do to help lower your bad (LDL) and raise your good (HDL).

Of course, before you do anything make sure you talk to your doctor.

This is important because you may have other health issues in addition to cholesterol and your doctor can guide you through the process and help ensure that you don’t make one thing worse by concentrating on another.

So, here are some ideas that may help you get the cholesterol levels you need:

1. Cut down on the amount of fat you get from your diet by cutting back on foods like meats and dairy. And not eating out at a fast food place is kind of a no brainer.

2. Cut way back on the amount of sugar you get in your diet. And when figuring out how much sugar you get, don’t forget to include the amount of sugar that is in the beverages you drink.

If you start reading the labels of some drinks you will be amazed (appalled) at the amount of sugar they contain. Have you ever read the label for a so called energy drink?

Some people will substitute diet drinks but before you do you may want to ask yourself one question; is this sugar substitute really a good thing for my body?

My personal decision is to stay away from as many man made chemicals as I reasonably can. I don’t drink diet soda for that reason.

I know that small amounts of sugar won’t harm me, but I’m not so sure about any amount of artificial sweetener.

3. Figure out how much sodium you get in your diet and then cut back if you need to. Most people who eat a lot of processed foods will be getting a lot of sodium in their diet, possibly more than they should be.

All of these things can work together to help you keep not only your cholesterol levels in check but help keep your heart safe and strong too.

Instead of thinking that you can’t eat anything, here are some foods that may be able to help your cholesterol levels: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and pecans.

But, don’t get carried away. If you eat too many of these nuts you will be diminishing the benefit since these nuts are all high in fat. One cup a day is plenty.

Oatmeal and oat bran have also been shown to help lower cholesterol levels when eaten on a regular basis.

Fish and other foods high in Omega – 3 fatty acids such as salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel and lake trout.

As you can see, keeping your good and bad cholesterol levels in check may be as simple as adding or deleting some foods from

Get Into The Tofu Habit For A Naturally Healthy You

Get Into The Tofu Habit For A Naturally Healthy You

When most people think of natural health, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to natural health than just the basics.

Tofu is a popular to most vegetarians. It is packed with nutrition and can easily substitute for meats. It is made of soybeans and is low in cholesterol, fat and calories. Tofu is bona fide popular among vegetarians owing to it is a great source of protein. Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, it is a very healthy idea to include tofu in your diet because it provides your body with the nutrients you need.

Here are some benefits you can get from eating tofu.

Good for the emotions
Tofu is low in calories, cholesterol and fats. We all know that too immeasurably cholesterol and fats will increase your risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Tofu lowers the amount of Woebegone Density Lipoprotein ( LDL ) and maintains a good amount of High Density Lipoprotein ( HDL ) in your body. LDLs are proclaimed as the bad cholesterol. Excess assessment of LDL will eventually result to serious heart illnesses. It also contains Omega 3. A nutrient that is important to keep your heart healthy.

Makes your Bones strong and healthy
Tofu is rich in calcium that is very much needed in keeping your bones hardy. As you get older, you’ll need new calcium in your body to prevent your bones from getting brittle and weak. Eating tofu also prevents you from developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Rich in protein and Vitamin B
This is most popular reason vegetarians eat tofu. Since they don’t eat meat, they lack protein in their entree. Tofu is packed hush up protein and vitamin B. Tofu has a high amount of protein. Eating Tofu gives vegetarians the amount of protein they need without having to resort to eating take out.

Contains Isoflavones
Isoflavones help lower the amount of LDL in your body. They are known as cholesterol fighters. Isoflavones also work like estrogen. Combined squirrel protein, tofu is very emphatic in sharpness eradicate certain diseases and types of cancer. Women on the pre – menopausal and menopausal stage can greatly blessing from tofu. The estrogen in tofu helps clinch hormone levels. During menopause, women experience hormonal imbalances due to the reduction of estrogen in their system. Without this hormone, women become prone to health conditions like osteoporosis and breast cancer. In men, isoflavones help reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer.

Powerful Antioxidant
Some people like to eat tofu in that it is very rich in antioxidants that fight butcher radicals and other harmful microorganisms in the body. Having an adequate amount of antioxidant rule your body is also known to prevent certain cancers.

Maintains Weight
Tofu can help you lose weight kiss goodbye losing important nutrients imprint your body. You get enough amount of protein that you get from meat without the fat. A study had shown that people who eat tofu have lower hunger cravings and stay full longer than those who don’t eat tofu.

Tofu has many benefits. It is not an exclusive food for vegetarians. Eating tofu is one way of improving your natural health. To make eating tofu more delightful, try learning different tofu recipes.
That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.